The Darkness Overhead
by Queen Paddie
Summary: When the Black Order is attacked during the night, Lavi and Kanda do not expect that a mysterious force might lead them straight to Allen, bloody and unconscious, in the arms of a Noah. Nor did they anticipate the strange people-like shadows that have taken a disturbing interest in Innocence or the mysterious gypsies that predict a new side of the war. Noah!Allen LaviAllenKanda
1. Prologue

**(Nothing But) The Darkness Overhead**

Originally: "Augen Auf".

Prologue

_A straight oar looks bent in the water. What matters is not merely that we see things but how we see them.  
- Michel de Montaigne_

* * *

A gentle breeze swept through the dark corridors of the building, floating through the cracks under the doors and tickling the ears of the people snug inside their beds. Upon its airy wings it carried the faint but haunting sounds of a piano melody that drifted into the dreams of those slumbering and interrupted them with its eerie charm. Deeper into the dark maze of corridors the breeze progressed until it came upon a set of huge, intricately carved wooden doors and crept underneath them. Inside, a man with crimson hair sat in a large and over-stuffed red arm chair, silently reading an old brown leather journal. Beyond him, a dark haired man sat at a bay window seat, contemplating the inky sky through the tall, arched window. Drawn to the open window and the crisp night air on the other side, the breeze slowly drifted across the room and out, but not before gracing the room's occupants with the notes it carried. The red-haired figure tilted his head slightly at the new noise but continued to read the journal. The raven, on the other hand, moved his gaze from the window and across the dusty old room to stare intently at the door. His eyes strained to make out the carvings on the door, but it was too dark - the only light in the room was from the flickering candle precariously balanced on a high-reaching stack of books and the faint glow of the moon.

"Do you think that's Allen playing?"

He looked across at the other occupant, his fellow comrade in arms, Lavi, and let out an audible sigh. How was he supposed to know who it was? A lot of people at the Black Order played the piano other than the 'moyashi'; it could have been any of them! Though... he did suppose that none of them would really play something so dark. The younger boy had been steadily drawing more and more away from the world as Central had slowly tightened their hold on him. Kanda could have laughed if he was the sort to; who would honestly think that the kid would try and destroy the Order, the Fourteenth or not? Ridiculous. The street urchin turned exorcist viewed this building as his home and its occupants his family.

"Humph. Probably." He finally said aloud after being sent a questioning look from Lavi.

"Are you alright, Yuu?" he returned.

Kanda twitched at the use of his given name but turned back to the window, his will to argue near non-existent. Something just wasn't sitting well with him tonight, and he was sure the other man felt the same. It was just -

A blood-curdling scream pierced the cold air, ripping open eyes sewn closed with the grit of sleep and sending bodies tumbling out of bed and rushing out of warm rooms into the cold in various states of undress.

Kanda startled, a little unbelieving that his feelings were actually valid, before standing up and rushing to the door. Down the other end of the hallway was the main corridor that connected the Exorcists' rooms and led to the huge winding staircase. From his position just outside the door, Kanda could hear shots being fired amongst other sounds of fighting as it began to filter down the hallway. He felt someone grip his shoulder and dazedly turned to see Lavi, his face just as pale as he imagined his own to look.

"That scream..." Lavi said shakily and stopped himself there. Kanda looked so pale, he vaguely noticed before the scream came again. It was loud, so _terribly loud_. A horrifyingly pain-drenched scream. It cut through the sounds coming from what he realised must be the others fighting – how could they just fight on and ignore the screaming?! Almost in tandem, Lavi realised, he and Kanda began running towards the noises and the screaming. Upon reaching the end of the hallway and exiting into the main corridor, they could both see some of the damage already wrought – fallen walls and shadowy bodies. Lavi couldn't even tell if they were Exorcists, Finders or even Akuma. And blood, blood was splattered everywhere. It looked like someone had decided the blackness of the corridor needed some festive colouring but had gone grossly overboard. Again the scream came and again he started running - the supposedly smart apprentice realised belatedly that he was being drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Something was tugging at him, pulling him towards and down a terrifyingly familiar path – and he just hoped that unlike a moth, he would not meet the flame (and consequently his death) at the end of it.

.

Lavi slowly picked up speed and with him, Kanda too. Soon the sound of their bare feet slapping down the stone corridor became loud enough to rival the distant sounds of battle but the red-head paid no attention to it, for the force that was pulling him was becoming more urgent; like something important to him was in terrible danger and he was perilously close to losing it.

It was then that his analytical mind deduced something and like someone had just thrown a bucket of icy water in his face, a few things clicked into place. He was running towards the scream, a familiar scream – yet one that he'd never heard before and never wished to hear again. He was running along a familiar path towards the room of a fellow exorcist. He was running towards _Allen's_ room. The scream belonged to _Allen_. His heart plummeted, his breath was ragged. _Allen_ was _screaming_ in pain. _Allen_ was in _pain_. Allen. The Bookman Jr. had thought he was running quickly before, but now he was practically soaring down the corridor, barely avoiding crashing into walls whenever he took a sharp turn around a corner and down a hallway. He felt like cursing! Those idiots at Central had Allen moved to a room further away from the other Exorcists in case of 'betrayal'. Lavi inappropriately snorted.

.

Kanda's feet barely touched the floor as they moved past the other Exorcists' rooms and they finally began catching up to the fighting. In his mind, he became vaguely aware of the fact that it was Akuma his fellow comrades were fighting, but thoughts of Allen filled his mind and clouded it. So together with Lavi, they dodged, leapt and sometimes even fought their way through the pockets of fighting that quickly sprung up like weeds here and there and then just as quickly died with the winning side rushing off to fight elsewhere. Many times they were stopped by Akuma standing over the fallen bodies of Finders and possibly other Exorcists. They'd quickly cut them down and help any of their own that were outnumbered but still on they would run.

At one point when they were again fighting their way through, Kanda turned to Lavi and asked -

"Do you think he's okay?"

Kanda vaguely realised that the question was out of character for him but he was worried; he felt the same tug as Lavi, pulling him towards Allen's room.

Not really wanting to hear an answer he was fairly sure he already knew, Kanda sliced through the remaining level one Akuma and turned to the last Akuma – a level two.

Though most people would call the two enemies, Kanda considered Allen his friend in some strange way, maybe even something close to a best friend - though he'd never admit the last to anyone – and he was genuinely worried for the 'moyashi'. Kanda and Allen had a strange bond, they were friends but they just had a different way of showing it. He let out an inaudible huff as they finally took it down and wiped the sweat that sprung up on his forehead away with the sleeve of his shirt.

"I-I don't know." Lavi had faltered a step and looked at Kanda.

Unintentionally the two picked up the pace with a sudden burst of speed as unbidden thoughts of what could be happening to Allen rushed through their heads. Kanda knew that unlike himself, 'Lavi' had no qualms with admitting he and Allen were close, in fact he was fairly certain Lavi too, thought of Allen as his best and possibly even closest friend. They both tried to block out the pictures their minds conjured of their mutual friend, but it was hard with all the once living carnage around them.

Kanda began to run surprisingly even faster as he realised the left turn at the end of the hallway would take them to the last corridor and closer to the one they were worried about. They ran around the corner...

.

Lavi's heart raced. His stomach plummeted. He stared in horror. Standing there, he let his eyes take in the gruesome sight they fell upon. He could hear Kanda slightly gagging. As harden as the man thought he was, seeing what had once been people, littered all over the corridor was enough to turn a veteran soldier's stomach. It was a grisly, macabre scene; like an artist's dark painting, the pieces of body were placed harmoniously throughout the corridor, bloody walls providing a deep backdrop to this new scene. Lavi nearly retched when he saw a cleanly cut leg casually laying less than a metre in front of him, its owner nowhere to be seen.

.

It was then that the whimpers Allen had been reduced to fell silent.

The silence pierced deeper than any scream ever could.

.

They both charged down the corridor as one, deftly avoiding the fleshy remains of their comrades. Allen's door grew closer. The force from before was pulling them along harder; the sheer weight of it caused both men to gasp aloud. Lavi barely slowed when he saw Allen's door was ajar. Dread filled him and near froze him as Kanda pushed on ahead. They crashed into the room. Lavi stopped next to Kanda. His blood froze in his veins and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Both eyes stared at the unconscious and bloody body cradled in the arms of the Noah Tyki Mikk. Golden eyes studied the shocked pair standing in front of him, and a rich, deep voice laughed before saying -

"Good evening my dear exorcists, but you're much too late!" Tyki flashed a feral grin.

Kanda saw Lavi flinch in his peripherals and began to charge towards the Noah but before he could go more than a few steps, the Noah quickly darted to the window. Kanda could do nothing as Tyki Mikk smashed through the glass and out into the freezing air, disappearing with the silver-haired exorcist's limp body. The force that had led them to Allen unexpectedly snapped, leaving both exorcists feeling cold and lost.

-xxx-

"He's gone?" spat Leverrier. He glared around at the occupants of the room as if they had had a hand in his abduction.

"Yes. The Noah Tyki Mikk took him." Lavi said unbiasedly.

"And you let him take Allen Walker?! Walker let himself be taken!?"

"No. We did not have enough time to react, sir. The Noah jumped out the window with Allen before we could move and Allen could not fight back or struggle because he was unconscious."

"It was a good thing he was." Kanda said emotionlessly, though he wanted to yell. To hell with Leverrier and his accusations! "The sprout must have put up one hell of a good fight. He was practically drenched in his own blood. I'm surprised he was still alive, there was that much."

"Walker probably went willing." Leverrier sneered. "Komui!" he snapped suddenly, "Call everyone to a meeting immediately! Let it be known Walker has fled. The next time he is spotted he is to be executed on site -no mercy is to be shown."

"NO!" Lenalee screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks. "You can't!"

"But I can." Leverrier replied coldly. "It is for the safety of the Order that I do this."

"But she's right sir, Allen has only been kidnapped!" Komui said, agreeing with his sister. "He didn't willing go to the enemies side! He's no traitor until he turns-"

"Idiot!" Leverrier snapped. "He has turned! Why do you think my men were there in the corridor? Having a tea party?" He snorted mockingly. "To _protect_ that abomination?! The Noah in Walker awoke last night around 2100hrs, after the CROW, Howard Link, returned from the cafeteria to deliver food to the traitor. You can ask Mr Link himself. He was the one who warned me Walker was awakening. I ordered extra wards placed around Walker's room and CROW members stationed out the front of it, in case the Noah managed to slip through them. He probably killed them all himself before he made his escape with that Noah."

Everyone in the room stared at Leverrier, shocked into silence. Leverrier curled his lips in disgust.

"He is a traitor - an enemy! And he is to be treated like one." He emphasised each word as he spoke, making sure everything he said was perfectly clear. "But, admittedly he was your friend, and if I recall correctly, did he not ask you all something? When you were first told about the Noah within him and given the order to kill him should it awaken, did he not say 'If that should happen, please kill me.'?"

Lenalee's eyes widened and she choked back a sob before she rushed to Komui and flung herself into his chest, sobbing pitifully.

Lavi glanced around the room, taking in everyone's reactions as he was trained to do. Bookman's face was expressionless but Lavi knew him well, so he knew that Bookman was shocked at this new piece of news just like everyone else – his eyes had marginally widened and his pupils dilated. Kanda was angry but doing a good job at hiding it. His eyes were pressed together, his brows slightly lowered and his upper eyelids tensed. Lenalee was still crying and obviously distraught and Komui wore an open look of disbelief on his face. There were four cloaked figures flanking Leverrier and he himself just looked pissed that Allen had escaped.

"Komui, call that meeting immediately and have anyone who can not physically make it there themselves be told the message."

.

All throughout the Black Order, the same message played through the speakers:

_"...and by order of The Pope himself, if spotted, the Noah once known as Allen Walker must be killed immediately. This man is not the Allen we all knew. Kill him or be killed yourself. He will not show you any mercy, so don't show any to him." _

* * *

Hi guys, I'm back. Missed me?

To the newbies to this story, the pairing is **ALLEN / LAVI / KANDA together - as in all three of them together in a single relationship.** Just not _yet_... they're a bit oblivious and so, so slow. Give them some time... they'll slowly get there.

General Note: I honestly don't know how often this will be updated; I really don't – probably really sporadically. I can say, however, that guilt trips work and are what's kicked my bum into gear to try this once more – hint hint. Please don't be too harsh though as I am currently a lowly first year nursing student and honestly don't have a lot of time with exams and clinical placements. But if a month goes by with nothing from me, give a yell and I'll do my best to present you all with another chapter.

Last note: I'd like to thank '**I am a fluffy pen'** for giving me the final push. You sir, ripped a chunk of my heart out and fed it to a Tease (though a certain '**Yuubaby19**' came close!). I'd also like to quickly thank all other reviewers, I'd name you all but there are too many of you!

Anyway, peace out my lovelies~


	2. Chapter 1

**(Nothing But) The Darkness Overhead**

Originally: "Augen Auf".

Chapter One

"_Often, it's not about becoming a new person, but becoming the person you were meant to be, and already are, but don't know how to be."_

_- Heath L. Buckmaster_

* * *

The first thing Allen saw as he slowly came to, were a pair of golden eyes staring at him expressionlessly. Still groggy with sleep, he knew he should have tried to escape or even fight back the Noah, but he was just too tired. Even when Tyki grinned darkly at his charges' awakening, Allen couldn't bring himself to mind. He idly expected the Noah to say something –anything- but all he did was pick up an intricately carved, golden mirror from the bedside table. The Noah seemed to contemplate the mirror for a second, as he took a long drag from his cigarette.

"When'd you start up again?" Allen slurred, as the man blew out a cloud of smoke into his face.

Tyki awarded him with a brief glance before turning back to the mirror and seemingly coming to his decision. To say that Allen was surprised when Tyki handed him the mirror would have been an understatement, however, that surprise was exchanged for another: a young man with golden-brown eyes, pale, unblemished, grey-tinted skin and wavy, white hair stared back at him from the mirror.

-xxx-

Kanda ground his teeth and his surveyed the people gathered in the cafeteria for lunch. As a misanthropist, he realised that he naturally expected very little from the idiots he was forced to surround himself with day in and day out but he couldn't believe the talking going on around him.

_"I knew he was a traitor! Didn't I tell you-"_

_"He's a Noah now!? We have to kill him before he gets us!"_

_"Ever since the attack at the Asian branch-"_

_"I knew he was going to turn sooner or later!"_

To think that these people could so easily proclaim their hatred for the person who had saved their lives more often than Kanda figured they could even count disgusted him. Ever since the attack at the Asian headquarters and with what happened to... to Alma, many people had quickly turned on the beansprout. Even Kanda had received many a suspicious look from people after his return from Mater. He'd even been questioned by Central and knew he was on a very tight leash. But still, the fact that these pathetic excuses for human beings could so easily turn on a person left such a sour taste in his mouth.

After Kanda had reconciled with himself that Alma was 'her' and that he'd never see her again, he'd turned to any other excuse to keep himself going, to give himself purpose – even if it was only repaying a debt to his friend. Allen deserved as much, even if all Kanda could now offer him was death.

He grew cold at the thought. How could he have been so stupid? Ever since that mission with 'Thief G', he'd known what Innocence did to Allen! And yet he still let his own rage and unwillingness to face his past cloud his mind and allow him to hurt Allen again – apparently irreparably this time. He was so angry with himself.

Quickly rising, he headed towards the training room, intent on letting his anger out any way possible. Kanda slammed the doors to the room open and drew his sword so he could practise and get use to his Innocence's strange new form but paused when he heard a monotone voice speak.

"Yuu needs to control that temper of his. Allen is gone whether or not he likes it and he needs to just get used to the fact that it's his fault. He is dead and his body now belongs to a Noah. You need to accept that."

Kanda looked up and glared fiercely at the Bookman's apprentice who was idly leaning against the railing of the platforms set up around the walls of the room that were usually used by generals to observe their apprentices.

Ever since Bookman had been captured by the Noah, Lavi had been acting strangely.

"You should stop acting like you don't care about what happened to Allen, I know you were good friends with him." Kanda spat out in annoyance.

Lavi sighed and shook his head at Kanda.

"But I _don't_ care Kanda. I'm a Bookman. We have no feelings - all the people around us are just ink on the pages of another history book. I don't care about what's left of Allen being killed and I won't care when you eventually die either."

Kanda gritted his teeth at what he said and watched as Lavi began climbing down the ladder from the platform and slowly walking towards him. He stopped in front of the older boy, sneering at him.

"Not that I understand why you care." Lavi continued to taunt, "You hated Allen anyway. Never treated him nice. You know, I do feel pity for him if that helps. The poor bastard likely died knowing how no one gave a shit about him."

Kanda saw red and the next thing Lavi knew, he was on the ground, looking up at Kanda with his cheek throbbing.

"_Fuck __you_." Kanda spat, pointing Mugen at his neck. "Just because you're suddenly insecure about your role because your master's absent doesn't mean you get to act like a stray mongrel and rip everyone apart! If you must know I regret how I treated Allen – I regretted it so much especially after him helping Alma and I that I gave up my chance of freedom and came back here to try and repay my debt to him!"

Lavi snarled and kicked the sword away from him.

"No, fuck _you_ Kanda! Because I _don't_ fucking care." Lavi hadn't had the chance to move and barely managed to activate his innocence in time and place it between them as Mugen came crashing down towards him.

"_Fuck_ your 'I don't cares' and your _useless_ fucking lies, Lavi Bookman!" Kanda growled and Lavi rolled before jumping to his feet and attacking Kanda with his hammer.

"I don't care!" Lavi yelled angrily. He swung his hammer and was parried by Kanda's blade.

"You do! Stop fucking _lying_!" Kanda swung. "What of last night?"

Lavi parried.

"What of it! I was shocked!" Lavi ducked another swing and felt the blade nick his arm.

"Liar!" Kanda yelled, his face drawn into a twisted look of hate – and at this point, had he been able to think straight, he'd have questioned himself on why he was so intent of making Lavi admit it. A few beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and into his brows.

"You were fucking scared! You were _petrified_ that the beansprout might have been dead! Or that he was in agonising pain! And... even now." Kanda's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "Even now you're still scared: scared that you won't ever see him again and scared that you will."

.

Lavi grimaced and threw away his innocence and launched himself at Kanda, fists raised. He was just so confused! Bookman was gone and he just didn't understand what was expected of him! Should he take up the mantle of Bookman and leave behind the so familiar persona of Lavi the Exorcist? Either way, he thought angrily, the bastard Kanda had no idea. He didn't care! He couldn't care! His fist connected with Kanda's cheek and promptly both boys were throwing punches at each other. Biting, kicking and tearing at any part of the other's flesh they could reach. They, in their rage, had reduced themselves to primal animals, both taking vicious delight in the pain they brought the other.

"_Stop it!_" wailed a voice before both boys were dragged off and away from each other by two finders. The yell shockingly enough came from Miranda_. _"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! B-but you boys need to stop fighting! Look what you're doing to yourselves!"

Lavi allowed his eyes to travel across to Kanda and he winced at what he saw. Kanda stood there, bloodied and bruised (much like Lavi suspect he himself looked like) but vindicated.

Lenalee, with tears pouring down her face again, told them that her brother wanted to see them immediately in his office whilst Krory stood next to Miranda, awkwardly comforting the crying middle-aged woman.

-xxx-

Komui adjusted his glasses and rested his chin on his hands as he took in the sight of the two boys in front of him. Beaten and bloody, they both stared expressionlessly back from where they sat on the couch in front of his desk, surrounded by paperwork. He sighed and adjusted his glasses again.

"I'm sending you two on a mission together to Russia. You are to investigate a strange occurrence there that might be Innocence or Akuma. Hopefully the latter so you can take your frustrations out on them instead of each other! We are all sad that Allen is gone but that is no reason for you boys to beat each other senseless!"

Kanda looked away, now ashamed but Lavi continued to look Komui in the eyes, trying to show him that he felt no guilt. Komui nearly smiled as he handed the two men copies of the mission objectives and specs. Lavi was doing a good job but he was unconsciously clutching his elbow and blinking a little too quickly for him to be as calm as he liked to portray. Komui sighed and dismissed them. He watched as the two left and hoped that while on the mission, Kanda and Lavi would learn to accept themselves among other things.

"Reeeeever! Can you get Lenalee to make me some coffee?" Komui whined, pouting cutely to try and convince the man.

Yes, Komui hoped they'd work themselves out or things would go very much downhill for both them and the rest of his family from here on out.

-xxx-

"Oi, Shonen." Tyki mumbled around the cigarette in his mouth. "You okay?" Allen, shocked, continued to stare into the mirror for a few moments before he turned to Tyki and shook his head.

"I... I knew I was going to turn sooner or later, especially after you Noah set Kanda up to stab me and Central took me back to the Order and began trying to force it. I'm not surprised about that... but; I didn't expect to be, well, me. I mean- I thought I'd be-"

"Dead? Or perhaps you thought you'd be stuck in the 14th's old position; a tiny voice in the back of his mind - something to haunt him whenever he looked into a reflective surface?"

Allen nodded.

"So did the rest of us. It seems something went wrong - or right for you - and Neah merged with you or something, I'm just guessing here. So I suppose that you, Allen Walker, are now the fourteenth Noah. You are the Fourteenth, Allen Walker."

Allen shook his head in slight shock.

"I think Road will be delighted by this new turn of events and maybe now we can have another game of poker without having to kill one another."

Allen looked away from his reflection and stared at the Noah.

"You think a lot." He half smirked before he turned serious. "Why did you come for me?"

Tyki sighed and scratched his cheek in thought.

"The Earl asked me to. Despite his hatred for what the Fourteenth did to us by betraying us, he deeply loved Neah – it's why he hurt Mana: he was jealous. I think he was hoping that when Neah took over, he could convince him to forgive the Earl." Tyki shrugged, "I guess he'll just have to accept that the old Fourteenth, Neah, is gone and that we at least have you."

"I may be a Noah now, and even more fucked up then I was before, but who's to say you have me? The Black Order is still my home and those there are my family. Why would I help you to destroy it?"

Tyki levelled a look at Allen and wondered at Allen's naivety before he motioned for the younger to look into the mirror again.

"You are a Noah, Allen. You do not know what your ability is yet, or how to control and master it which makes you a threat to humans and Exorcists. Your innocence and curse mark are gone - though I don't know where to – which makes you useless in killing Akuma and frankly you look completely different and a lot like a Noah. You may not accept us, but think! Why would they accept you? You are dead to your 'family'. Allen is gone and now there is just another Noah in the way of their false God."

Allen stared blankly into the mirror, a weak mask covering his pain. Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks, but Allen's eyes never strayed from his reflection. He was useless.

Tyki sighed and walked towards the door, feeling terrible that he had to be the one to give Allen the news - the cold truth. He lit up another cigarette and took a long drag before continuing on his way to get them both some food.

Allen's tears soon dried up and the young man so close to adulthood simply stared dumbly at his reflection. No longer cursed by the man he loved and who probably had only loved the memories Allen had carried in his mind. No longer was he burdened by his destiny and job as an Exorcist now that his innocence was gone. His friends and family by now must think him dead either by the hands of the Noah or the Fourteenth. But, he thought as he touched his forehead, he did not having all the markings of a Noah. Who was he? Allen Walker the Exorcist? Allen Walker the Fourteenth? Just Allen, the queer mix of two sides of a war? Or none of the above?

-xxx-

Tyki found himself back inside Allen's room, quietly sitting on his bed, back against the wall and long legs dangling off the side. Tyki was watching the young man sitting next to him through the mirror and studying the emotions that flickered across his face.

"What are you thinking about?"

Allen slowly moved his head away from the mirror and quietly stared at him.

"Everything." He said seriously. "Who am I? What am I doing here? How long have I been here and does anybody miss me? What am I going to do now? Where is my Innocence and my curse mark? I just... I dunno. I don't know anything."

Tyki lit up another cigarette and lifted it to his lips and slowly inhaled, closing his eyes. He lowered it from his lips and exhaled in a contented sigh before opening his eyes again and speaking.

"You're Allen Walker and you're sitting here talking to me. You've been here for three days now, though you've only been awake for two. I'm sure the girl Road was talking about, - Lenalee, was it? - misses you; she seemed to be quite interested in you." Tyki smirked at him and Allen looked away awkwardly.

"And that samurai guy and the one with the red hair and eye patch - they seemed to be close to you." A small dusting ofn pink appeared on the younger man's cheeks. "Hm, what are you going to do now? I can't help you with that one, but obviously I think you should join us. Lord Earl won't force you to though, just so you know. The Exorcists will never trust you now that you've become a Noah and with your innocence gone, you cannot help them or hinder us so he will give you the choice."

It was obvious to Tyki what Allen's decision would be. Allen grimaced and remained silent until something crossed his mind and he asked Tyki about it.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Allen asked a little bitterly. "I may not be able to stop you anymore, but we were enemies three days ago and you've tried to kill me countless times, so why the niceties?"

Tyki shrugged.

"Why not? I never tried to kill you because I wanted to. It was always just orders or simply because we were enemies. But really, now that we are not longer such, why shouldn't I be nice? We Noah are capable of emotions you know. We tend to be stuck on bloodthirsty and royally pissed off but we are able to love and feel happiness. I suppose now that we aren't on opposite sides of the battle field, we could maybe even be friends." Tyki hummed and looked at Allen. "You remind me of a little brother."

The Noah smiled genuinely and Allen stared at the Noah. He never expected such words from a Noah's lips.

.

As Allen turned back to the mirror, Tyki took his cue to leave. As he closed the door behind him however, he saw Road approach.

"How is he?" she asked, tilting her head, a lollipop in hand.

"He's not accepting it well." Tyki figured that Allen would likely leave whilst he was gone. "I don't think he'll stay."

Road pouted but said nothing but to tell him that the Earl was calling the family to an important meeting.

-xxx-

Allen stared at himself and wished none of this had ever happened but abandoned that trail of thought when he remembered that at least he was still alive and Neah could no longer hurt those he loved. Allen turned his head again and looked out the window he suddenly noticed was there. With that he realised he'd not noticed much about the room he was in. He looked around – taking in wall hangings, fur rugs, and stone walls – and his eyes came to rest on a wooden wardrobe. Allen hesitantly moved towards it and upon examining the contents he stripped from his bloodstained clothes and into a clean pair of black leather pants, a white dress shirt and tight black vest. He left his shirt untucked and wandered over to the window, looking out into the street and seeing the familiar surroundings of London. Despite all the bad blood between them, Mana had taught him to keep moving. Noah or not he was going to keep trying to help the Order from the shadows as much as possible – one way or another; he knew he had to try. But first things first, he mused, he would have to find out more about what had happened to him. Stomach growling softly despite gaining a regular, he pulled on a black travelling cloak and left the building quietly.

-xxx-

The Millennium Earl, Adam, surveyed his family gathered before him; Walker seemed to have declined the invitation to join them, he mused. The Earl had been so disappointed to realise he'd never have a chance to have his Neah back that he'd slumped into a depressed state for the last few days, however, he no longer had time for that.

"-something big's happened..." he heard Devit mutter to Jasdero and Road. "It's serious enough that he's in his 'white' form."

Adam smirked. How his children had no idea.

"Indeed, a situation has come up." He said, making Devit wince at being caught talking about him. "A new side has entered on to the stage – one whose acting is so dreadful as to ruin the performance for all. We all need to be careful; they are abominations far worse than humans and "mankind" and of a greater concern. They are truly against our God and as such, they take a higher place on our list."

"Surely there is nothing worse than mankind?" tittered Sheril Kamelot to a round of agreeing nods.

Adam sighed. He had protected his children too long, thinking that this day would never have to happen. He would now have to tell them about the Godless, the 'True Enemy' and hope that when they won the war, like he knew they had too, that most of his children would survive it.

-xxx-

Allen knew the streets like the back of his hand and a quick look around told him he was right in the middle of the upper middle class district. A few people glanced at him curiously for walking around with his shirt untucked and hair ruffled but Allen wasn't bothered; he was used to looks due to his old scar and arm so these harmless ones from his messiness were nothing he couldn't handle. The sounds of his feet tapping on the pavement were lost in the laughter and excited chatter all around him. He figured that he could possibly stay in the Ark, at least until he got his head sorted out; he'd need food, however and for that, money. So as Allen made his way into the poorer quarters the laughter died down and crying and shouting became more common. Screams pierced the air every now and then as he passed by dank alleyways but even though it was obvious to Allen what was happening, he felt no desire to get himself into a fight to save the life of some whore or someone who couldn't pay off his debts or someone in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rape, theft and murder were common occurrences here and honestly, he couldn't bring himself to be bothered helping. Allen didn't really care about what might be happening that much as long as they didn't try to involve him.

Allen passed by a shady man with shifty eyes who was trying to sell him something no doubt stolen and entered an inn called 'The Wanderer'. He snorted at the cliché name.

The wooden floor looked like it could do with a good scrub but the clean state of the tables sort of made up for it. There was a wooden counter off to the left, where a bored looking man - who Allen presumed was the inn keeper - sat around moping for a customer. He was of an average height and the owner of a rather large girth that stretched his white apron, a set of keys hanging at his waist. The man looked up and stared at him.

Allen nodded to him confidently and made his way across the room opposite the counter, getting openly curious looks at his golden eyes and white hair by those sober enough to notice. There were only a few other patrons scattered around the room, sitting at tables quietly picking at their food or sipping at their drink. Allen nearly shuddered as he suddenly thought about his Master but managed to keep a blank face as he picked his way around chairs and drunkards towards the table in the corner where a game of poker going on.

"Mind if I play?" he asked the three surly looking blokes gambling with a few guineas. Allen figured they'd stolen the money but didn't mention it. "I'm not that good but I like to play a game now and again."

They looked him up and down before outright grinning at each other at their luck. Once again Allen found himself struggling not to smile.

Fifteen minutes later found Allen relaxing with enough winnings to buy him food for the next few days. Of course it wasn't a lot of money; but a job and some gambling here and there would see him with enough money to get by. Amazingly enough the men he'd bet in poker turned out to be fine with losing and had just laughed and offered to buy him a drink. He had been so suspicious that he'd declined with a smile and made a prompt get away.

Meandering down the streets with a bag of supplies and food clutched tightly to his chest he wondered what exactly to do. He knew he'd promised himself to continue helping the Order but he was at such a loss. How was he supposed to do that without his Innocence? His mind came back to the question that bugged him the most: what had happened to his Innocence and his curse? Had the curse been undone and Crowned Clown found another master? Allen frowned. He knew Crowned Clown would not leave him without a fight, his innocence truly loved him. Allen pondered that train of thought for a few moments. Then why hadn't he turned into a Fallen One yet? Why-

Suddenly Allen noticed the sounds of three sets of feet walking behind him. He was being followed.

As if sensing his sudden awareness, he was suddenly backed into a corner before he even had time to yell.

"Oi calm down kid." A man barked, walking closer so Allen could see his face. It was one of the men he'd played poker with. Dread had started pooling in his gut when the man finally said, "We ain't gonna hurt ya or rob ya, squirt."

Allen blinked and stopped struggling. He just stared at the man in front of him. Was he honestly meant to believe him? How laughable, he thought cynically before saying so aloud.

Allen noticed he was starting to become outwardly more and more like his old self that Mana had struggled so hard to try and change. Although Mana had never been able to change who Allen was on the inside, the person behind the smiling _façade_ he presented to the world he had managed to convince Allen to act differently outwardly. He supposed with how everything had changed, he'd realised subconsciously that that wasn't needed anymore.

Allen snapped out of his thoughts as he heard a grunt and remembered his situation; he was surrounded by three burly men who although claimed no bad feelings, he had just cheated and were more than likely not too happy about it.

-xxx-

The train compartment was nearly warm with the amount of blankets and furs around it. Thick curtains were pulled over the icy window and oil lamps were keeping the room bright as Lavi and Kanda sat quietly reading their mission reports.

According to a local farming family in the town they were heading to, an old manor house that had been long abandoned since way before anyone could remember, had over night changed. Somehow, someone had managed to repair it to perfect condition, to what the farmer thought it would have looked like when it was first built. They hadn't paid too much mind to it at first, thinking that it had probably been like that a while and they hadn't noticed the repairs. It wasn't until someone claimed they saw a woman walk past one of the second story windows that they'd done anything. The farmer and his family had gone to introduce themselves to their new neighbours but when they knocked on the door, all clad in their best fur-lined garments, nobody had answered. Feeling affronted they had returned home but the next day a scream and gunshot was heard from the manor. The farmers nearby had all rushed to help the person in distress but found they couldn't get inside. No axe could cut down the wooden door and no chisel or hammer could smash the windows. Nothing could be done and the scream quickly died, leaving everyone puzzled and worried. Throughout the next week the screams of men, women and children could be heard coming from the manor. Rumours sprung up like crops and though nobody had gone missing, nobody left their homes at night or approached the manor in fear of being captured and murdered like all the poor souls they assumed had been taken by what dwelled inside. The 'D'yavol' they called it - the Devil.

Lavi glanced at Kanda. He was sitting on the opposite seat, eyes shut and breathing slowly and calmly. Lavi figuring the elder was asleep decided he may as well look around the train. His got up and walked the three steps across the compartment to the door and opened it. He stepped out and slid the door shut behind him and made his way down the luxurious train corridor past other first class compartment.

While wandering around the train, Lavi came across the dining compartment, where people were smiling and laughing as they chatted over their meals, with their friends and family.

Lavi made his way over to an empty table in the back corner and sat watching and studying everyone. The couple at the table nearest to him laughed as the woman bounced a small child on her knee. The man was smiling at her and beaming with pride and joy.

Lavi wondered if he would have been like that man if he had never become a Bookman. Would he have settled down and married? His eyes flickered across to another man, sitting by himself in the opposite corner. Or would he have been restless? Hungering for something more like he had as a child? He'd never have met Allen and Kanda if he hadn't become a Bookman. Where did that thought come from? Lavi was slightly thrown off balance before he regained it and sighed. The lines between Bookman apprentice and the persona 'Lavi' were merging and blurring quickly and dangerously to the point where Lavi was questioning whether it really was such a bad thing.

Lavi folded his arms on the table and settled his chin on top of them. What was wrong with him? Why did it really bother him so much that Allen was gone? Why did he feel guilt when he told Kanda that he didn't care? Which **was** the truth?

"You're lying to yourself."

Lavi's eyes widened and he quickly sat up and stared at the woman settling herself down on the seat opposite him. She appeared to be an older gypsy woman in her middle age with blonde hair pulled back into a harsh bun, minus a small strand that hung freely and framed her tanned, wrinkly olive face.

"What?" Lavi asked surprised. The woman rolled her eyes and adjusted her beautiful coloured skirts and shawl. Her gold earrings and bangles clinked softly as she carefully leant forward and stared into Lavi's eyes, studying and nodding at whatever she saw in them.

"Stupid boy." She said amusedly in a very thick German accent. "You're lying to yourself. Your face and posture speak volumes of it."

Lavi glared at the woman.

"Sorry to tell you this," he said mockingly, "but you're wrong. I am not lying to myself about anything. I am far beyond something as stupid as that. And if you expect me to pay you for your 'advice' - you can think again!"

The woman flashed her pearly white teeth and studied him with her cold, dark eyes.

"Your heart." Lavi blinked. "Yes, your heart is the problem, no? It seems you're lying to yourself about something close to your heart. Something your heart has chosen on. Zat's not a very healthy t'ing to do, you know?"

Lavi ground his teeth, annoyed more than he should be. "You know nothing about me! Nothing!"

The woman chuckled and said, "It seems you really are then. Stupid zat is. It also seems me that I know you better zan you do yourself."

The woman rose gracefully and started slowly moving away from the table with a swirl of her skirts.

"The hell you do!" Lavi yelled at her retreating back, causing people to turn their heads and stare at him. The murmur of 'exorcist' filled the room. The women slowly turned around and her lips forcibly and uncontrollably twitched parting and stretching across her face in a weird smile. Her stare was undirected and her eyes clouded over.

"You love zat boy, Lavi Bookman." She intoned hoarsely. "And if you and ze ozer do not manage to save him from himself in time, zis world as we know it will become one we vill not, and will not want to know if ze 'True Enemy' conquer all. Zis I foretell."

The woman suddenly dropped the smile and her eyes became sharp again. She rubbed her cheeks and blinked. Shock painted her face but she quickly returned it to its normal, neutral look and began silently striding away into the crowd of now standing people that were slowly moving towards him.

What was that all about? Love? And a boy?! Lavi almost spluttered! He liked women! What- Wait. People moving towards him? Lavi hurriedly looked up and towards them as he pulled out his innocence from its holster. The whisper of 'exorcist' grew louder and the twisted smiles on the faces in front of him slowly ripped and peeled as the people before him discarded their skins and revealed themselves to be Akuma.

"**Fuck** that woman!" Lavi yelled annoyed. "Little hammer, big hammer - grow, grow, grow!"

.

Kanda heard Lavi sigh before he slid the door shut. Kanda opened his eyes and looked out the window. Why did it hurt so much when Lavi said he didn't care about him and Allen? Kanda knew it was a lie. The three were best friends, admitted or not. They were brothers, comrades! It had taken Kanda a long time to admit as much and he'd never give the other two the benefit of hearing him admit as much. Just like he'd never said Allen's name aloud until that whole incident with Alma... Kanda sat staring out the window and contemplating for what seemed like hours - though was really only twenty minutes – before he got up and left the compartment in search of his red-haired friend. Kanda had decided he was going to confront Lavi about all this 'I don't care' bullshit that was really starting to get on his nerves.

He headed down towards the dining cart and brushed past a young blond Englishman in a suit when he heard someone start swearing about a woman.

Lavi panted as he fought off another Akuma. It was easy work, but with so many of them, the Exorcist was growing tired quickly. Lavi idly wondered how many there were when another one attacked him. Was the _entire_ train full of Akuma?!

He nearly fell over as he sagged in relief when he saw Kanda come crashing through the door, Mugen drawn. Kanda ground his teeth at the sight of Lavi nearly collapsing to the floor from exhaustion. He sighed as he quickly slashed the first Akuma right down the centre and gracefully dodged another. Lavi thought it looked like Kanda was dancing as he moved from form to form.

Kanda quickly and methodically destroyed the remaining Akuma and watched as the red-head finally slid to the floor. He sheathed his sword and walked over to him and slung Lavi's arm across his shoulders so he could help him walk back to their compartment.

Lavi was slightly shocked Kanda was helping him in so public a place but when he looked around he thought ruefully that it wasn't like there was anyone alive to see. He supposed though, it was also a part of the change that had occurred since he'd come back from Matel. Kanda had become marginally more open... softer around the edges. His thoughts drifted back to the old woman. Both she and Kanda thought he was lying to himself about something. Lavi sighed. Maybe he was? But, what about? Lavi's thoughts carefully slid around the idea that it could be the two other males or the fact that he really did have emotions and left the man confused and his question unanswered.

-xxx-

Allen found himself inside the silk covered interior of a wooden caravan, seated comfortably on a cushioned, high backed chair across from a strange young woman, her raven hair pulled back into a neat bun.  
He thought back to how he'd gotten there exasperatedly:

_After Allen had snapped himself out of his thoughts and remembered his situation, one of the men had smiled at him creepily and pulled out a crow bar._

_"Now boy, we don't hold it against ya fer beatin' us but ya see here, there's this person who wants ta see ya and said they'd pay us 'eaps fer ya."_

_Allen grimaced. He'd no weapon but his hands and feet, Innocence gone and Noah powers unknown he was stuck. He watched the two men carefully. The man with the crowbar swung and Allen dodged gracefully, pivoting slightly to the left to knock away a punch aimed at his face with his arm. He was putting up a great fight until suddenly something smashed into the back of his head and he realised, with disgust, as he started to succumb to unconscious that there were three men not two. Well fuck._

Allen gingerly felt the back of his head and wondered at how he could have been so stupid and forgotten the other man present. He sighed and chalked it up to fighting non humans for so long.

He looked across to the woman who was merrily sitting in her arm chair sipping tea. He supposed she might be a gypsy.

"There are as many sides to this war, my dear boy," She said suddenly in a thick Hungarian accent, turning her attention from her tea to the silver-haired teen in front of her. The bangles on her arms clinked together as she shuffled in her seat.

"You have both more and less enemies then you know of my dear child. Then again, I suppose there is a lot you don't know at the moment." She looked at him speculatively.

Allen could admit that he didn't know a lot in the grand scheme of things but he did pride himself on knowing a fair bit – however, he had no idea what she meant. To try and rectify his lack of understanding, he figured he'd try to question the woman.

"Who are you?"

She tilted her head to the side.

"I am but a humble gypsy woman that knows more than she should." Well that at least confirmed his suspicion, however, the silver haired boy raised a thin eyebrow at the woman's answer. She didn't answer him properly, but then again, he thought grudgingly, he didn't exactly ask the right question. What did she know more about than she should? He decided to ask another question.

"Why did you have me kidnapped?"

"So I could speak with you." She smiled. Allen raised his eyebrow again and was rewarded with a slight elaboration. "Kidnapping you just made it more interesting."

Allen sighed annoyed by her comment, 'more interesting'? That was her excuse? Who was this woman and what did she want him for?

"What do you know more than you should about?" he asked curiously.

A quick flash of a grin showed just above her tea cup as she held it to her mouth to sip.

"That's a secret. But no, I know many things, especially about you, boy."

"Me?" he asked with a brow cocked.

"Well, specifically the entity known as the Fourteenth." She flashed a knowing smile. "I know that he has been merged with you. I know what **caused** your awakening. Your Noah powers and where your innocence and curse are. I know too much."

"Indeed you do." Allen murmured over his own cup of tea. Was it true this woman knew the answers to some of his questions? How queer, he thought, that just when he needed some help, this woman had showed up.

"I'll answer some of your questions boy, but only some. I'm not allowed to answer particular questions. I'm forbidden. But I'll answer what I can."

Well that wasn't the most helpful thing ever. Allen looked at her.

"Why should I trust what you say, woman? Why would you help me?"

"I have no way of proving to you what I say is true. And my reasons for helping cannot be divulged to you – just know that one way or another, I am bound to help you as I can."

Allen cocked his head at that. Bound to help him? Why? What bound her? He cast his mind to his other questions, those more pressing.

"Where is my innocence and why aren't I a Fallen One?"

"You cannot become a Fallen One unless you betray or give up your innocence."

"I asked-"

"I know what you asked, boy! I also told you I wasn't allowed to answer particular questions."

Allen frowned.

"My curse?" he asked.

"With your innocence."

"I take it that means you won't tell me where that is?"

"You're catching on quick, child." She grinned.

"My Noah powers. What are they?"

She eyed him silently. Allen sighed. She helped him as much a cat would help a fish to anywhere but its mouth.

"Let me ask a better question. What **can** you tell me?"

A deep, throaty chuckle.

"An excellent question. I can tell you that your innocence and curse are not gone." Her eyes flickered. "They are nearer then you think. Are closer then you think. Sealed is the knowledge - Within your mind you'll find the information. You just need to dwell on words." She laughed like it was all a great joke to her but Allen frowned in confusion. What she said made no sense! Dwell on words? Sealed is the knowledge? What knowledge? Of where they were?

"Music is more powerful then the spoken word. It can create false feelings, beliefs and thoughts. Your Noah power is related to music, my dear, destructive Musician. Though that's not really you, is it?" Another grin and then a frown. "You must be careful. He is not you and you are not he. You'll have a decision to make in the future. Two sides, black and white but there's no room for grey. No, not this time."

Her eyes pierced his. "Stay close to your friends, Allen. In your moment of darkness, they will be your light."

Allen began to fill drowsy alarmingly quick. He looked at his tea. She drugged him!

"You drugged me!" Allen sluggishly placed his tea down. "You told me nothing and then you- you drugged me!"

"I told you a great deal if you're smart enough to understand it!" She snapped.

Allen sleepily frowned and felt his head drifting towards the table. The woman looked at him softly.

"Stay safe boy." She murmured to him as his eyes slowly blurred and closed. "The fate of the world rests with you, Destroyer of Time."

* * *

Yay, an update! So this chapter was a bit content heavy with lots of hints for those who can weed them out of some of the nonsense. It's also starting the characters of their journey of change so they can both reach the point where we all get to enjoy a relationship between the boys and where they're prepared for the darkness brewing on the horizon.

I also want to apologise to my original readers, I realise that this chapter is similar to that of the old one but if you read carefully, there's so much that's different and important, so I hope you all read carefully!


	3. Chapter 2

**(Nothing But) The Darkness Overhead**

Originally: "Augen Auf".

Chapter Two

_Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always gotten there first and is waiting for it._

_- Terry Pratchett._

There is something about snow that is haunting, thought Kanda, a chill going down his spine. Despite how cold it could get back in England, nothing compared to a Russian winter. Bleached, dead-like trees hung in the gloom and wet snow swirled around the trunks, getting inside the hoods of their jackets. Wrapped in warm fur coats, Kanda and Lavi had arrived safely in Russia despite the fight on the train. How weird it had been to learn that not one person on the train bar themselves had been human. It was lucky that their finder understood the mechanics involved in driving a train otherwise they would never have made it. Kanda was unnerved by the event – Lavi had shrugged it off as the Earl stepping up the fight but why would he have used so many Akuma and such an elaborate plan for a single piece of Innocence? Or was it just to kill two Exorcists that had been a thorn in his side? The raven haired man had a suspicion it might be something more.

From the train station, they had abandoned the empty locomotive in favour of a simple carriage. It took five hours along the bumpy paths and then an hour's trek through the snow to the tiny village. There, they picked up another finder, this one Russian.

"Good evening, exorcists!" the man had said in a thick, Russian accent, his English awkward. "Please cloak and follow me to room where to put luggage and then to manor."

They had walked through the tiny village past maybe twenty houses before arriving at the church where the local priest had prepared a room for their use. Lavi had chatted animatedly with both of the finders the entire time as they put down their things and surveyed the room and the two rickety beds, only about as wide as the men themselves. Kanda raised an eyebrow at that but had left the matter as they ate a quick lunch before heading out to the mansion.

-xxx-

The manor was eerie. It loomed up out of the forest and was comprised of a dark wood, heavily detailed and intricately carved. As they slowly approached it, they noticed that although at first glance it appeared to be two stories, when they moved around to the front, an additional story was slightly peaking out through the roof. The potential beauty of the place was marred by its dark aura, Kanda noted. The wooden shutters on the windows were closed on the first story and the open ones on the second and third showed nothing but darkness.

A few strides closer and everything changed. Instead of the dwelling simply being empty and a little bit spooky, it was like something had swallowed the life around the manor and taken away all the beauty and happiness. It felt like something primordial was watching them through the open windows, from the shadows and waiting. The four men shivered.

On the way to the manor, the sun had been shining brightly and there had been plenty of time still before it set and left everyone in darkness. Birds had been chirping excitedly - though in this dreadfully cold country Kanda could not work out _why_ - and a few flowers and green growth had been sprouting here and there out of the snow. But everything changed. It was like they had crossed an invisible line; like everything died between one step and the next. The sun was still high in the sky but everything here was dull, dark and dim. The trees surrounding the manor were stark and barren, their ashy-grey branches reaching upwards towards something just out of their grasp. The flowers still managed to push through the snow but something about them was twisted... and wrong; a strange, subtle difference that the naked eye couldn't quite detect. The birds had hushed and everything in general just looked washed out and . . . _dead_.

Lavi fell silent and an unreadable expression flickered across his face. 'Lavi' had been put aside for now and 'Bookman Jr.' had reared his head. He could feel the presence in the house. It was vast and ancient. Darker than anything he could imagine and dreadfully oppressing. He felt cold and alone though he stood there with three other men and snug in his jackets.

"This was never mentioned in the report." He stated as calmly as he could, a far cry from how he'd been acting mere seconds ago which startled the both finders and prompted the Russian to speak.

"Did not happen until recently," he said haltingly in his heavily accented voice, trying to pick the right words. "And how would one describe? Better seen and understood then read and confused."

Lavi nodded in understanding, fighting back a shudder at the horrible presence. What sort of Innocence could create such terrifying feelings?

Lavi took a few difficult steps forward and studied the house despite his screaming instincts to run. Like the plants, there was something subtlety wrong with the house, something warped that his eyes couldn't trace – an unnatural twisting of the wood. Like when you see a shadow out of the corner of your eye, but when you turn your head it's was gone. But nonetheless, he reminded himself, it was his mission to go inside and discover the cause and retrieve the Innocence that possibly lay inside.

Kanda caught up to Lavi as he started walking up to the front veranda of the home.

"I assume you feel that too?" Lavi murmured to him.

Kanda could do no more than nod as his companion stopped uncertainly just before the few steps that led up onto the porch. Lavi's face was pale, he noted, pale and tight like he suspected his own would be. Kanda sighed and turned back to the two finders, instructing them to remain behind in case they didn't make it.

Lavi was scared. Although a Bookman, he was not immune to fear. Fear is the oldest and strongest of all emotions and nobody can escape it. Lavi had been taught over the years many ways to deal with it and manage it so as not to hinder his tasks but as he and Kanda walked onto that veranda and approached the door, he felt his control slip the tiniest bit. Had he mentioned so to Kanda, the other man would have possibly admitted his fear too, for Kanda believed all fear was felt for a reason but neither spoke another word as they stood there. For the moment their feet had touched the wooden, floored ground of the veranda, they could quite literally _feel _the pain, hatred and sorrow the seemed to make up the very support of this house. Surely something as holy as innocence couldn't be found in a place like this? The feelings of dread, anger, sorrow, suffering, pain, agony, hate, fear, horror... Lavi didn't think that even the Noah themselves could do something, make something and live in something as terrible – no, as horrifying – as this. It was like the entire world's well of evil, pain, hate and fear had been collected and trapped inside this small space.

When Kanda pushed the door open though, it was far from what they had suspected. Warmth and happiness flooded them and soaked into them as they walked into a brightly lit hallway.

-xxx-

"What the -" Kanda heard Lavi gasp, swallowing his next word as a little girl came running into the hallway and _right_ _through them _and into the room through the archway on their left. Kanda was completely startled and followed Lavi as he in turn followed the strange little girl into the room she'd disappeared into.

The room was wooden with a roaring fire and blankets everywhere. The room was lavishly decorated and the furniture was of utmost quality for its time. A spruce tree sat in the corner, covered in small decorations.

"Merry Christmas, Inga!" called a feminine voice. "Come see what Grandfather Frost left under the tree!"

Kanda spotted the woman standing by the tree, breath-taking green silk and lush brown fur, her black hair piled delicately and fashionably on her head. She was holding out a present to the little girl, Inga. Lavi took a step forward, Kanda assumed to apologise for their intrusion, when the woman looked up at them.

A look of abject horror covered her face and she let out a scream of pure terror, covering her daughter and crying.

"No! No! Not us!" She continued to cry. "_God, help us!_"

"It's okay, ma'am! We mean you no harm." Lavi tried to reason but the woman kept screaming.

Suddenly, just as Kanda realised that the woman had been looking beyond him, there was two bangs.

The screams broke off - blood was everywhere. And then room changed. The light and warmth disappeared and the feelings of evil and worse came rushing back. The room was dark, the little paint left on the walls peeling, the wood of the floor rotting and fragments of furniture lay here and there. Though what stood out the most was the old blood stains on the floor where the woman and her child had been standing.

"Where are we, Yuu?" Lavi asked quietly, his eyes wide and Kanda wondered too. They began thoroughly searching for anything of importance and with one more glance at the blood stains, they left the room that smelt like death empty-handed and walked back into the hallway. There were still four more rooms to check before they could go up the stairs.

Kanda braced himself for what was ahead and mustered all his courage as he walked across the hall to the next room and into another memory of the past.

-xxx-

The room was empty of all furniture but a bed. After Allen had woken up in the middle of a dank alleyway, he'd had to go out and gamble again to buy more food after he'd lost the first lot. The words of the Gypsy had rolled around inside his head and he'd nearly lost a few hands of poker. Now though, safe on the Ark with all his non-perishables packed away and having fed himself, he could safely think. Walking across the room to the bed, he lay down and stared up into the ceiling. The woman had been of so little help, he thought. She had been so vague! She'd spoken in riddles when she told him where his Innocence had gone, Allen decided. With his Noah powers? _Music is more powerful then the spoken word... your Noah power is related to music, my dear, destructive Musician._ But he didn't understand what they were! Music? Allen himself didn't even know how to play...! It had always been the Fourteenth who knew what to do – who'd acted through Allen. _You must be careful. He is not you and you are not he._ Which meant that surely he could not still have the knowledge of the piano? He didn't even know what the Musician's powers had been.

_You'll have a decision to make in the future. Two sides, black and white but there's no room for grey. No, not this time. Stay close to your friends, Allen. In your moment of darkness, they will be your light._

Of all the things the old woman had said, this had sent shivers down his spine, for even then; surely this meant nothing but the final battle between Noah and humanity? But something dark inside his mind, something ancient and based on the instincts humans had acquired over so many years whispered something darker was coming. Perhaps he should find the others and help them? And with this new resolve, Allen swiftly dropped into Morpheus's arms, vowing to send Timcanpy after Lavi and Kanda in the morning and to begin training himself for the dark times ahead.

-xxx-

This time there was no warmth and happiness - of the two occupants in the room, the most prominent was a man. His face was a deep purple, his eyes grotesquely bulging from their sockets, pupils blown wide, his tongue, black and swollen and around his neck, a thick noose. Flies were lazily buzzing around the room and the foulest of stenches reached Kanda's nose. The dead man's feet were idly dangling over a pile of human excrement. The second figure was a living man. He'd dragged a tattered arm chair across the room and was sitting there, watching the body. The room surrounding was chaos and from the agony written all over the dead man's face, his death hadn't been swift or willing. Lavi gagged.

A crack of lightning from the window and the scene was whisked away and they were left in another empty room, the remnants of a rope dangling from the ceiling and no body to be seen. The arm chair still remained where it had been – a gruesome reminder. Feeling sick, they checked the room too and moved back into the hallway.

The next three room held a new death - a new way to die - and some were far more gruesome then others. By the time Kanda and Lavi had made it to the foot of the stairs that led to the second story, they were both extremely pale and empty-stomached. Images of torn clothes and flesh flashed across his mind, forever burned into his brain as well as the haunting image of a child's empty eye socket staring at him, through him as a supposed doctor began removing the other from the corpse. Kanda shakily sighed and Lavi brushed a hand through the hair falling out of his bandana. Though men and soldiers, such horrifying scenes were still rare – Akuma and Noah mostly just killed humans. They didn't go to such extremes to torture them and mutilate their corpses in such vile, unholy ways. Both boys stood still for some minutes, regaining as much of their composure as they could and preparing themselves to go up the narrow wooden stairs. Kanda raised his eyes to the top of the stairs. Shadows stirred and anticipation hung heavily in the air. Something was waiting for them up there.

They moved towards the stairs and the feeling intensified. Something was lurking there, something unnatural, un-human – inhuman, inhumane and waiting. Both males moved closer to each other, shoulders pressing against the other's and hands brushing. It was something neither would do under normal circumstances but with this unknown force before them, they both clung to the little human contact they could have, without making it impossible to ascend the stairs. Kanda drew Mugen and Lavi pulled out his hammer and both slowly walked up the steps, arms still pressed tightly together. At the top of the steps nothing attacked them. The presence seemed to still be there, but it was faint; receding towards the next and final floor of the house. It was smirking at them, telling them it wanted them to go through the horrors of this floor before they went up to the final floor to meet it and their death. They shivered.

Slowly entering the first room, the two - still shoulder to shoulder - began again their routine. Watch somebody die or see someone already dead, wait for the barbarity to end and then search the room. But every room just left them empty handed, disgusted, shocked and disturbed.

They learnt some things too. Like how far the human body could stretch, bend, twist and bleed before the owner died. How much could be removed from inside or cut off from the outside and other foul things they wished they had never seen. The screams and begging of the victims rang loud in their ears. One thing was the same every time though – the murderer, rapist, and brutal torturer, - if shown - was the same person. A man in his early thirties. His hair and eyes were as black as his soul and he did nothing but laugh as he raped, tortured and mutilated his victims, living or not.

The floor proved just as empty as the last and the deaths far worse and far more painful than those suffered below.

Again they found themselves staring up the staircase at the waiting shadows. Again, the inhuman presence and the mind numbing fear – the instincts of old screaming to run...

But what they saw at the top of the stairs was unexpected. No more memories, no more blood or bodies. Just three arm chairs, two facing the other with a respectable distance between them and a roaring fire place. Sitting in the chair apart from the other two, sipping tea in his fur-lined coat was the very man who had brutally _slaughtered_ the people in the rooms below them.

"You sick bastard!" Lavi spat, disturbed that a _man_ could do something as foul as what he'd been made witness to. Kanda went to lunge at the man-

"Uh-uh!" the man tutted, amused. He had a faint Russian accent. "Come for me and your companion will die."

-but he quickly stopped frozen as Lavi began shaking and clutching his chest, gasping for air. The man grinned savagely and Kanda noticed the swirling dark shadow the man cast from the fire. Unable to stare straight at the demonic presence, his mind screaming that to look would mean his death, he studied the monstrous being out of the corner of his eye. Blacker than black, darker than dark, like a void that has punched a hole into the inky fabric of night itself - it of the slightest bit resembled a man, albeit a sinister, stretched and elongated one. It took up the entirety of the wall behind the Russian. Kanda had never felt so much fear in his life. It was as if all of his ancestors were screaming and shaking him at once to move, as if he could feel all their fear combined with his own. The instincts created and forged since the earliest of humans crying out and urging him to bolt. All the pain and suffering and dark emotions seemed to spew forth from the vile _thing_, the shadow, like a foul tar – sticking and clinging to everything. The ancient black being had thin tendrils that linked it to the man before them.

"Please. Sit."

Kanda fell more than sat in the chair to the right and Lavi on the one to the left as his breath returned to him.

"What is that beast?" he rasped through his dry throat. "What kind of creature is that?"

The being seemed to swell and fill the room more at being spoken about as such. Kanda felt the being grin maliciously at him.

"Why did you kill those people?" Lavi demanded of the man, seemingly not noticing the presence in his state of anger. The man blinked and crossed his legs as he took another sip of his tea.

"That's easy; because I can." He laughed.

Kanda ignored the man and Lavi, the Russian was just another insane killer. This creature before him that set his knees to shaking and seemed to paralyse him enough that running was not an option concerned him more.

"What are you?!" he whispered.

The man suddenly began to fit in his chair. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, showing nothing but white. The teacup fell to the ground and shattered, tea soaking up into the carpet and staining the fabric. Slowly, Kanda noticed that the whites of his eyes began to turn black and the being moved steadily closer, closing in on the man. The fitting soon stopped but a steady stream of blood poured from the man's nose and mouth.

"**I. AM. OF. THE. SHADOWS. - I. AM. DEATH.**" The voice was agony and ripped through Kanda's mind like something had grabbed the two lobes of his brain in each hand and torn. It was a voice not meant to be heard by humans – no matter how powerful or strong. Kanda clasped his ears with his hands and could feel the blood oozing out. It was torture.

"What do you want?" gasped Lavi terror and shock, sinking to his knees as he became aware of the shadow and its apparent taking over of the body of the human in front of them.

"**YOUR. SOULS.**" The smile that covered the man's face was feral and wrong, stretching his face impossibly.

"Why are you possessing this man?! Did you force him to kill those people?"

"**IT. IS. MY. DISCIPLE.**" The man in question gave a shaky sigh and seemed to slump before them. The thing retreated, seemingly tired of their questions, and slowly the murderer before them gained consciousness.

All of his years of bookman training did not prepare him for this thing! He didn't even know exactly what it was! Bookman had told him once of a creature described by the Bookman before him that was similar, that had drawn on the life force of a human to survive. Of a being not of this world – but surely this could not be it! Surely the man would have told him or Bookman of the horrible, soul-consuming fear! Lavi tried to remember what had been done to stop the creature, praying that they were one and the same and the same thing would work, but the agony that had been brought about by this monster's words still felt like it was destroying his mind and sending him insane! He shot Kanda a look and saw that he was doing not much better – he needed the other man to distract the being and the murderer so he could get a chance to remember!

"Who are you?" Kanda snarled at the man right on cue. "Who are you to be friends with such beasts and to willingly hurt and kill such innocents?" Speaking of, thought Kanda, where was the Innocence? He'd noticed Lavi's mind ticking away, trying to think of a solution, but Kanda already had an idea. There was Innocence somewhere in this room, he just knew it. And what sort of coincidence could it be that it was in the same place as the creature! And that's when he saw it. The ring on the man's right middle finger, it appeared to be faintly glowing a sickly colour, though it was hard to notice through all the tendrils that seemed to be attached to it. He watched in a sick fascination as the tendrils thrummed – looking for all intents and purposes like they were sucking the power out of it. Kanda quickly looked back up as the man replied.

"I am Athanasius, the Lord of this house. A fine surgeon hobbyist and murderer, as we've established." A mad, zealous light entered his eyes. "This 'creature' is God. The Lord of the Hebrews, the Lord of Noah and the Almighty God of Heaven. Surely you recognise him, priest? He has recognised me as one of his True Disciples, and with my brethren we shall rid the world of all life. He has enticed you into my home so I may convert you to the One True Faith – you will be granted Immortality for the True Disciples, nothing it too large a gift. Our Lord accepts us all, he delights in the blood and rape and torture – he will not judge you!"

Kanda stared in horror. Why hadn't the man turned into a Fallen One yet with this kind of nonsense! He wouldn't be surprised if this monster was some demon, but to claim him as the Holy Father was blasphemy! If he hadn't thought this man to be sick and twisted, listening to him now would have been enough to change his mind.

Lavi stared in mutual horror. How..? He stopped. The innocence! If they took the Innocence from the man, from this Athanasius, they could perhaps stop this creature! Bookman has said the monster had used both the life force of a human but also of one that was an Accommodator for Innocence so that he could feed off that too! Using both sources to give itself a physical form! He looked at Kanda and made eye contact – the two sharing a sudden, clear wave length and both agreeing to the plan.

"Blasphemy!" Kanda roared, feigning rage. He could feel nearly all eyes on him. The creature let out an inhuman screech in fury at the perceived insult. "You blasphemy and worship a false God!"

Kanda rushed towards Athanasius with Mugen raised above his head, the man still sitting in the chair calmly but the shadow was too quick and grabbed him, flinging him into the wall and sending plaster showering down. However, it did not anticipate Lavi who launched himself at the human with a punch to the jaw and ripped the ring off the man's finger with such force the finger snapped.

"NO!" The man's voice screamed as he curled up and convulsed in agony. The shadow shrieked with him and the house shook dangerously. Lavi curled his hand around the Innocence piece and spat on the man with disgust.

The shadow knocked Kanda back into the wall and shrieked again as Athanasius started frothing at the mouth, still convulsing on the ground, screaming in pain. Lavi dashed over and helped Kanda up and both stood and watched in uncertainty as the man was forced to feel the pain he had caused all those poor people over the years.

The house started crumbling, timber fell from the ceiling and the two realised their stay here was long over-due. Kanda grabbed Lavi's hand and bolted towards the hall – seeing out of the corner of his eye, the murderer take his last breath and the creature let out one last shriek that blasted one of his eardrums - and down the stairs where more screams came from the rooms. They all but dove down the last flight before making a mad rush down the hallway and out the door onto the ground. Lying there, panting for breath and worried the beast might somehow have followed them, they watched as the house sighed and with one last shake, collapsed to the ground and into dust.

The aura that had been surrounding the place seemed to melt away and vanish, the land around them slowly returning to normal. A silence fell across the area as life took a gasping breath. The evil had been purged and the infection removed...

-xxx-

Later that evening, in the room Kanda shared with Lavi, he lay on his back on his bed, staring out of the tiny window at the stars. What could cause such evil? What was that shadow? It surely wasn't created by the Innocence or was it? It seemed like a sort of parasite. And what had happened that had stopped that murderer from turning into a Fallen One? Questions floated through his head and as his eyes began to shut sleepily, Kanda turned his gaze to Lavi, sprawled on the other bed and Kanda fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

* * *

Hey guys, sorry about the wait but this chapter was very difficult to write, and university got in the way. But excuses aside, ohohohoho, the plot thickens! I'm very fascinated to know everyone's opinion - what exactly does everyone think this creature was? Anyway, I should hopefully have a new chapter out faster than this one as uni finishes and summer holidays start in three or so weeks! All well, TTFN folks and don't forget to review!


End file.
